Lubrication apparatus for weapons

ABSTRACT

A weapon lubrication apparatus has a body with an oil reservoir therein. A bent outlet tube has a first end and a second end, with the first coupled to the body at an oil outlet. The outlet tube and the oil outlet have an oil passage therein. A first one way valve is located in the oil passage. The first one way valve allows oil to leave the oil reservoir and enter the outlet tube. The outlet tube is rotatable relative to the body. A nozzle is rotatably coupled to the outlet tube second end and has an opening in a side wall. A plunger is located in the oil reservoir an is movable between in and out positions. The plunger has a handle located exteriorly of the body. The plunger is biased in the out position. A clamp is coupled to the body and is structured to mount the body to the weapon.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for lubricating weapons such as automatic and semi-automatic rifles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rifles such as AR-15's and M-16's require lubrication (oiling) of the bolt area after a number of shells have been shot. If not lubricated, the rifle might jam. Currently, the only means available is to carry a bottle of oil to apply into this area. It is inconvenient to spend time to obtain the bottle and set the rifle down to be oiled. Additionally, in the case of military and law enforcement usage, the necessity of having to stop to inject the oil poses a safety risk.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A weapon lubrication apparatus comprises a body having an oil reservoir therein. The body has an oil outlet communicating with the oil reservoir. An outlet tube has a first end and a second end, with the first coupled to the body. The outlet tube is bent between the first and second ends. The outlet tube and the oil outlet have an oil passage therein. A one way valve is located in the oil passage. The one way valve allows oil to leave the oil reservoir and enter the outlet tube. The outlet tube is rotatable relative to the body. A nozzle is rotatably coupled to the outlet tube second end and has an opening in a side wall. A plunger is located in the oil reservoir and is movable between in and out positions. The plunger has a handle located exteriorly of the body. The plunger is biased in the out position. A clamp is coupled to the body and is structured to mount the body to the weapon.

In one aspect, the one way valve is a first one way valve, and the apparatus further comprises a second one way valve located in the outlet tube adjacent to the nozzle.

In another aspect, the one way valve is a first one way valve, and the apparatus further comprises a second one way valve in the body, which second one way valve communicates with the oil reservoir. The second one way valve allows air to enter the oil reservoir.

In another aspect, the body has first and second ends, with the outlet tube located at the first end and the plunger located at the second end.

In another aspect, the outlet tube has an end that forms a stop for a biasing member of the one way valve.

In another aspect, the one way valve is a first one way valve, and the apparatus further comprises a second one way valve located in the outlet tube adjacent to the nozzle. A third one way valve is in the body and communicates with the oil reservoir, the third one way valve allows air to enter the oil reservoir. The outlet tube located at a first end of the body and the plunger located at a second end of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a semi-automatic weapon equipped with the lubrication device, in accordance with a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the weapon of FIG. 1 and the lubrication device.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the weapon portion and lubrication device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken at lines IV-IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken at lines V-V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken at lines VI-VI of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the lubrication device, shown with the outlet tube in cross-section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, there is shown a semi-automatic weapon 11, in particular an AR-15. The rifle 11 has a barrel 13, a receiver 15 with a sliding bolt, a magazine 17 and a stock 19. The rifle also has a mounting rail 21, in particular a Picatinny rail. There is an upper rail, a lower rail, and two side rails, which rails surround the barrel (see FIG. 3).

The rifle also has a lubrication device 23 (shown by black box 23 in FIG. 1, to demonstrate placement, with better views in subsequent figures) mounted thereto. The lubrication device allows a user to manually dispense lubricant, such as oil, onto the sliding bolt of the receiver 15. In the preferred embodiment the lubrication device is mounted to the Picatinny rail 21 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The lubrication device 23 has a clamp 25 with captive screws 27 and retention clip 24 for clamping onto the rail 21 (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

The lubrication device 23 has a generally cylindrical housing or body 29. Referring to FIG. 4 the lubrication device has an oil reservoir 31, a fill inlet 33 and an air inlet 37. The oil reservoir 31 is generally a cylindrical bore in the housing, located between an end wall 43 and an open end 44. The fill inlet 33 communicates with the oil reservoir 31 and has a threaded cap or plug 39. The air inlet is a bore 41 in the end wall 43 that extends to the exterior of the housing and has a ball valve 45. The ball valve is biased against a seat 47 by a spring 49. The air inlet is normally closed to prevent the entry of air into the oil reservoir.

An oil check valve 51 is located in a bore 53 in the end wall 43, which bore extends to the exterior housing. The valve has a ball valve 55, biased against a seat 57 by a spring 59. The oil check valve is normally closed to prevent oil from entering the reservoir as oil is being dispensed. The bore 53 receives an outlet tube 61 that exits the housing and extends out therefrom. The tube 61 has a passage 63 therein extending between its two ends. The tube 61 is bent and has a check valve 65 in its outer, or free, end (see FIG. 7). The valve has a ball 67, a seat 69 and a spring 71 that biases the valve closed against oil exiting the tube. The free end of the tube also has a nozzle tip 73 that is rotatably coupled to the tube, such as by threads. The nozzle tip has an opening 75 in a side wall.

The tube 61 is mounted in the bore 53 (see FIG. 4) of the housing so as to allow the tube to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the bore 53. The outside diameter of be tube has a circumferential groove 77. One or more set screws 79 in the housing engage the groove to secure the tube in the desired position. The tube has another circumferential groove, which receives an O-ring 81 that provides a seal on the bore 53. The inside end of the tube 61 acts as a stop for the oil cheek valve spring 59.

To dispense oil, a plunger arrangement is provided. The plunger arrangement has a plunger 83 (see FIG. 4) located in a liner 85; the plunger reciprocates inside the liner. The liner 85 has a first outside diameter portion 87, a second outside diameter portion 89 and a third outside diameter portion 91. The third outside diameter portion 91 is received in and closes the open end 44 of the oil reservoir 31. An O-ring 93 provides a seal around the outside diameter portion and against the housing. A shoulder serves as a stop. The third outside diameter portion is located between the shoulder and a snap ring 90. The second outside diameter portion 89 extends between the third outside diameter portion 91 and first outside diameter portion 87. The second outside diameter portion 89 has an inside diameter that receives a spring 95. The spring extends around the plunger from an end wall of the second outside diameter portion to a flange 96 on the plunger. A snap ring 94 serves as a stop for the flange, which snap ring engages the third outside diameter end portion. The first outside diameter portion 87 has a first inside diameter 97 and a second inside diameter 99. The second inside diameter 99 is larger than the first inside diameter 97 and extends from the first inside diameter 97 to the second outside diameter portion 99. The plunger has an O-ring 101 that is received by the second inside diameter. The first inside diameter has a diameter slightly larger than the tip of the plunger. The first outside diameter portion 87 has an O-ring 103 for engaging a bore 104 in the end wall 43. The bore 104 communicates with the bore 53.

In operation, the oil reservoir 31 is filled with oil via the inlet 33. The plug 39 is located so as to close the inlet. To dispense oil, the user manually depresses the plunger 83. This opens the valve 51 and pumps oil in the bore 53 out of the tube 61 and the nozzle tip 73 to the receiver 15. An increase in pressure in the oil reservoir 31 caused by pushing in the plunger, or alternatively a reduction in pressure in the bore 53, opens the oil check valve 51 to admit oil into the plunger chamber bore 53. The oil check valve 51 prevents the oil from reentering the oil reservoir. When the user releases the plunger 83, the spring returns the plunger to its extended position against the stop snap ring, shown in FIG. 4. Air is drawn into the oil reservoir by the temporary opening of the air inlet valve 45 to replace the dispensed oil.

When the oil reservoir is filled for the first time, the plunger is depressed several times to expel air from the bore 53 and the tube 61.

The lubrication device is mounted on the rail 21 by the clamp 25. The location of the lubrication device on the rail can be adjusted by sliding the lubrication device to the desired position on the rail. Generally, the lubrication device is mounted on the same side of the weapon as the opening to the receiver, but this need not be the case as the tube 61 can be configured to extend from the lubrication device to the receiver port.

The user can adjust the nozzle tip 73 and the oil tube 61 to squirt oil wherever desired. The tube 61 can be rotated inside the bore 53 by loosening the set screws 79. When the tube is properly oriented, the set screws are retightened. The nozzle tip 73 can be rotated on the tube 61 to position the opening 75 where desired. In addition to directing oil onto the receiver, the tube can be adjusted to avoid any dust cover the receiver may have, as well as to avoid any cartridges that are ejected from the receiver after firing.

The user can shoot a large number of rounds and then lubricate the receiver with the lubrication device. The lubrication device allows the user to selectively lubricate the receiver when desired. This minimizes the receiver becoming over lubricated, wherein an excessive amount of oil can lead to attracting dirt and dust. In some firing configurations, as well as some ammunition, it might be dirtier in terms of depositing dirt and dust on the receiver. Thus, the user can adjust the lubrication accordingly.

The lubrication device is self-contained. Mounting the housing to the weapon rail also mounts the nozzle and the plunger. Thus, the device is easy to mount onto a weapon. Also, the lubrication device can be used in a variety of orientations. Operating the plunger expels oil from the nozzle regardless of the orientation of the lubrication device or the weapon. This is useful because when carrying the weapon, the user need not orient the weapon for lubrication purposes.

The parts are made of metal except for the seals which are rubber. Some of the parts can be made of plastic.

The foregoing disclosure and showings made in the drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense. 

1. A weapon lubrication apparatus, comprising: a) a body having an oil reservoir therein, the body having an oil outlet communicating with the oil reservoir; b) an outlet tube having a first end and a second end, the first coupled to the body, the outlet tube being bent between the first and second ends, the outlet tube and the oil outlet having an oil passage therein; c) a one way valve located in the oil passage, the one way valve allowing oil to leave the oil reservoir and enter the outlet tube; d) the outlet tube being rotatable relative to the body; e) a nozzle rotatably coupled to the outlet tube second end, the nozzle having an opening in a side wall; f) a plunger located in the oil reservoir and movable between in and out positions, the plunger having a handle located exteriorly of the body, the plunger being biased in the out position; g) a clamp coupled to the body, the clamp structured to mount the body to the weapon.
 2. The weapon lubrication apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one way valve is a first one way valve, further comprising a second one way valve located in the outlet tube adjacent to the nozzle.
 3. The weapon lubrication apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one way valve is a first one way valve, further comprising a second one way valve in the body and communicating with the oil reservoir, the second one way valve allowing air to enter the oil reservoir.
 4. The weapon lubrication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body has first and second ends, with the outlet tube located at the first end and the plunger located at the second end.
 5. The weapon lubrication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outlet tube has an end that forms a stop for a biasing member of the one way valve.
 6. The weapon lubrication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one way valve is a first one way valve, further comprising: a) a second one way valve located in the outlet tube adjacent to the nozzle; b) a third one way valve in the body and communicating with the oil reservoir, the third one way valve allowing air to enter the oil reservoir; c) the outlet tube located at a first end of the body and the plunger located at a second end of the body. 